What Is the EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union)?
The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is an economic union of five countries: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. The member states form a customs union, so goods cleared for import at a Russian port can circulate not only in Russia but across the whole EAEU internal market.
| Common tariff | Imports from outside the Union are subject to the EAEU Common Customs Tariff. |
|---|---|
| Movement within the Union | Goods move between member states without customs declaration or border inspections, except as provided in the Treaty (EAEU Treaty, Article 25). |
| Common technical regulations | Technical regulations are common to all member states. Products with conformity documents and the EAC mark may circulate throughout the Union (What is EAC certification). |
| VAT | In trade between member states, VAT is paid in the importing country (EAEU Treaty, Article 72). |
| Russia / EAEU total | |
| Population (1 January 2025) | 146.1 million / 185.9 million |
| GDP (2025, USD) | 2,568.5 billion / 3,019.6 billion |
The four member states other than Russia add about 39.8 million people and about USD 451.1 billion of GDP (our calculation from the figures above). Our sales are currently conducted within Russia; supply to other member states is considered only with the supplier's consent, after checking each country's labeling rules and Japanese export controls.
Sources: Eurasian Economic Commission, EAEU Statistics 2026 (Russian, PDF); EAEU Treaty, Article 25 (Russian). Last checked: 6 November 2026.
Marketplaces as a Growth Driver
Marketplaces are currently one of the strongest drivers of consumer goods sales in Russia. According to the research firm Data Insight, Russian consumers placed approximately 8.3 billion online orders in 2025, of which 81% (62% by sales value) were placed on marketplaces. The leading marketplaces are Wildberries, Ozon and Yandex Market.
| Price comparison | Prices for the same product are listed side by side, so the price difference between genuine products, parallel imports and look-alike products is directly visible to buyers. |
|---|---|
| Product pages | Where the rights holder does not manage product pages, different sellers may post different descriptions and images. |
| Customer ratings | Reviews and ratings strongly affect sales, and quality or labeling problems quickly show up in ratings. |
| Our sales channels | In addition to marketplaces, we sell through retail chains and corporate clients. On marketplaces, we handle everything in-house, from creating product pages to managing inventory and prices. |
Why Japanese Products Are Expensive in Russia
In Russian stores and on marketplaces, Japanese products are generally sold at higher prices than in Japan. The main reasons are as follows.
| Transport and customs | Freight from Japan, customs clearance costs and import duties. |
|---|---|
| VAT | VAT is also levied on imports. The standard rate has been 22% since January 1, 2026 (10% for certain foods and other goods). |
| Conformity documents and labeling | Costs of declarations of conformity and state registration certificates, Russian-language labeling and Chestny ZNAK codes. |
| Distribution route | With unauthorized imports and resale via third countries, each additional intermediary raises the price, and storage conditions and shelf life become harder to control. |
Dealing directly through an official import route keeps intermediary costs down and makes it easier to manage retail prices and quality.
Parallel Imports and Brand Protection
Since 2022, under Russian Government Resolution No. 506 of March 29, 2022, goods and brands on a list maintained by the Ministry of Industry and Trade may be imported without the rights holder's consent (parallel imports). The list mainly covers automobiles, electronics, industrial goods and the like; most consumer goods, such as foods and household products, are not covered. Importing goods that are not on the list without the rights holder's consent infringes trademark rights under Article 1515 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. We check each item to determine whether it is on the list.
| Customs IP register | When the rights holder (or its authorized representative) registers a trademark in the customs register of intellectual property of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, customs will, where infringement is suspected, suspend the release of the goods, as a rule for 10 working days, and notify the rights holder (extendable by up to 10 more working days at the rights holder's request). |
|---|---|
| Marketplace procedures | Major marketplaces have procedures under which trademark owners and authorized distributors can request the removal of infringing listings. |
| Trademark registration | Both procedures require a valid trademark registration in Russia (see Trademarks in Russia). |
Additional Import Duties on Japanese Products
Russia applies higher import duties to certain goods originating in "unfriendly" countries (as listed in Russian Government Order No. 430-r of March 5, 2022, which includes Japan), under Russian Government Resolution No. 2240 of December 7, 2022. The main consumer goods concerned and their rates are shown below. All current rates apply until December 31, 2027.
| Products | HS code (heading) | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Perfumes and eau de toilette | 3303 | 35% |
| Make-up and skin care cosmetics | 3304 | 35% |
| Shampoos, hair sprays and other hair products | 3305 | 35% |
| Toothpaste | 3306 10 | 35% |
| Shaving products, deodorants, etc. | 3307 | 35% |
| Soap, detergents and cleaning products | 3401 30, 3402 | 35% |
| Dietary supplements (retail packs subject to Chestny ZNAK) | 2106 90 980 8 | 35% (from October 2026) |
| Soy sauce | 2103 10 | 18% |
| Ketchup and tomato sauces / mustard | 2103 20, 2103 30 | 20% / 22.5% |
| Other sauces and seasonings | 2103 90 | 16% |
| Coffee (roasted / instant) | 0901 21, 2101 11 | 13% / 17.5% (with a per-kg minimum) |
| Confectionery (chewing gum, candy, etc.) | 1704 | 17–35% (with minimums) |
| Pasta and noodles, incl. instant noodles | 1902 | 23–25% |
| Biscuits and baked goods | 1905 | 20–35% |
| Prepared fish and seafood | 1604, 1605 | 15–25% |
| Prepared vegetables and fruit | 2005, 2008 | 16–23% |
| Mineral water and soft drinks | 2201, 2202 | 18–20% |
Summary based on the version as amended up to October 2026. The rate is determined by both the 10-digit commodity code and the product description, and rates differ within the same heading. We confirm the rate for each of your products as part of the free preliminary check.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade Parallel Import List
The goods that may be parallel imported are set out in Order No. 2701 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of July 21, 2023 (in force since November 4, 2023). The list combines product groups (HS codes) with brands and is amended regularly (most recently by Order No. 4769 of September 26, 2025, applicable from May 27, 2026). The government's authority underlying the mechanism is extended one year at a time; for 2026, by Federal Law No. 463-FZ of December 15, 2025.
| What the list covers | Mainly automobiles and parts, electronics and industrial goods. Most consumer goods, such as foods and household products, are not covered. |
|---|---|
| What it means for you | If your brand is not on the list, importing it without your consent infringes your trademark rights, and the brand can be protected through the customs IP register and marketplace procedures. |
| What we do | Before we start working together, we check whether your products and brand are on the list and report the result. |
Our Track Record
For brands we import as the official importer, we act on behalf of the rights holders, using the customs IP register and the rights-holder procedures of each marketplace to counter unauthorized imports and listings. In this way we have successfully restored order to the market and created conditions in which manufacturers can:
- control supply volumes and supply channels to Russia
- maintain their pricing policy
- make predictable demand forecasts and production plans
- check the quality, labeling and price of the products that reach buyers
We disclose specific brand names only with the rights holder's consent.
Japanese Companies in Russia
According to JETRO's compilation of Japan's Ministry of Finance trade statistics (converted to US dollars), Japan's exports to Russia in 2025 totaled USD 2.459 billion, up 13.5% year on year and the first increase in four years (used passenger cars account for about 60%). In the JETRO FY2025 survey of Japanese-affiliated companies in Russia (50 valid responses), 76.0% plan to maintain their current level of operations over the next one to two years, while the share planning to downsize, relocate to a third country or withdraw fell to 18.0%, almost half of the previous year's 37.9%.
Sources
- Data Insight: research on Russian e-commerce in 2025 (as reported in the media)
- Federal Law No. 425-FZ of November 28, 2025 (amendments to the Tax Code); Federal Tax Service of Russia
- Russian Government Resolution No. 506 of March 29, 2022; Ministry of Industry and Trade parallel import list
- Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union (Article 384 et seq.); Federal Customs Service customs IP register
- Russian Government Resolution No. 2240 of December 7, 2022 (as amended up to October 2026, Alta-Soft consolidated text); Government Order No. 430-r of March 5, 2022
- Ministry of Industry and Trade Orders No. 2701 of July 21, 2023 and No. 4769 of September 26, 2025; Federal Law No. 463-FZ of December 15, 2025
- JETRO, Russia Trade and Investment Report (published August 14, 2026); FY2025 Survey on Business Conditions of Japanese-Affiliated Companies Overseas (Russia)
Information as of November 2026. Laws and regulations may change.